


the bright light that blinds me

by mina_sterling



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Cheesy, F/M, Fluff, Legilimency, Legilimens, Love at First Sight, Sad and Sweet, Scene Rewrite, fluff and sadness, i honestly don't know how to tag someone help me, maybe it's legilimency, maybe she's born with it, that's it just fluff, using your natural gift of a super powerful form of magic to impress your crush is a big mood, well there's some sad stuff too
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-20
Updated: 2019-08-20
Packaged: 2020-09-18 19:54:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20318611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mina_sterling/pseuds/mina_sterling
Summary: Being a Legilimens, Queenie could see the true nature of people - and almost every single time, she was let down.However, she is pleasantly surprised by the golden heart of a No-Maj man.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hello everyone!!
> 
> this is my very first fanfiction!! i love fantastic beasts (even if the second movie was eh), and jacob and queenie are my favorite characters! the scene where they first meet is my favorite, i just think it's so cute <3 i wanted to rewrite that from queenie's pov with some backstory (and since there's not much on backstory, i took some liberties with it. like a lot. bear with me.) and maybe make it really cute. idk, i just wrote this and wanted to share it.
> 
> i hope you enjoy!! please leave me constructive criticisms if you have any, i definitely want to improve :)
> 
> \+ i made the fic into two chapters - one is for the backstory i made up (i don't know if they do have backstories so i did what i wanted???) and the other is the actual scene rewrite. you can skip the first chapter if you want, but i'd appreciate it if you read it. but you don't have to if you just want a quick, fluffy read.
> 
> \+ there's some mentions of drug use and pedophilia in this (if you read it, it will make sense, trust me). if you don't like that kind of stuff, legit skip the sixth and seventh paragraphs of chapter one and you'll be okay. it's only in those two paragraphs, so no need to worry besides those.

Being a natural legilimens was both a blessing, and a curse.

A cheesy intro, but a truth nonetheless. Queenie had been born with the gift of an extremely difficult magic, a type that took some magic practitioners many years, or even decades, to master - the magic of true sight. The art of viewing a person’s memories and feelings, and deciphering them into a conclusive idea. For many, this was much too difficult. For her, it was the really the only thing she knew to do.

Look deep enough into a person, and you could see everything about them. Nothing was hidden. Nothing was too hard to dig up. There were no guesses, no chances, no risks, no time wasted - just the truth, plain and simple. She never had to get meaninglessly hurt by a bad person, since she could just spot them out of a crowd. No fake friends. No heartbreak. Just the truth.

At first, this really was a gift. Her parents were overjoyed. Great-Grandmother Goldstein, they praised, had been a talented Legilimens as well, and Queenie inherited her skills. They were proud of her, and encouraged her to improve herself, to wield her power better. As her skills improved, she could see more and more. She could read the raw emotion of joy in her parents’ hearts as Tina lifted a tiny teacup with no wand off of the table at just six. She could empathize with their sorrow and grief as they lost their house and was forced to move into a rundown apartment. She could feel the relief in their hearts that at least the whole Goldstein clan was still together, and healthy, and safe.

Even through the tough times, even through fights, and even through the difficulties of raising two know-it-all daughters, Queenie never saw the bright, kind, warm lights of her parents and her older sister dim, and concluded they were good people. With this knowledge, she figured the mailman, who helped old ladies cross the street, who always smiled at little kids and cooed at babies in strollers, who sold some kind of powdery candy on the side to make money for his son’s hospital bills, was a good person, even if his light was slightly dimmer than her mom or dad’s. She figured the old woman who lived upstairs, who prayed for her departed husband’s soul every single day, who owned five cats and paid the landlord under the table to keep them, who just wanted her children and grandchildren to come visit her, who appreciated it more than words could express when Queenie would drag Tina to the lady’s apartment for some mahjong and coffee cake, was a good person, even when it was painfully lonely.

However, this also lead to the opposite. Queenie could see cold, black, evil lights in people. She could see jet black in the man in the floor below, who smiled oddly at little girls, who was not allowed near parks or schools, who Queenie’s parents, parents’ friends, and even complete strangers kept the Goldstein girls away from at all costs. She saw a fairly black light in the woman next door, who stuck medicine from needles in her arm every other hour, who never brushed her teeth or washed her hair, who would bring a man into her room for a bag of some candy, who hit her little baby boy when he cried, who acted like the victim when some people in nice dresses and suits came to take him away.

The white lights meant good people. The black lights, she came to learn, meant a bad person. Being such a young child, she figured not many people would have the black lights. How bad could people be?

Queenie soon received her answer at the age of nine. Her beloved and dear parents had contracted Dragon Pox, and Queenie was forced to remain quarantined from them. Tina had already left for her first year at Ilvermorny, and their parents insisted she stay there and focus on their studies. Queenie, with no other relatives, was sent to live at a foster home - “_Just for a while_,” her mother and father promised from behind a glass window, palms pressed firmly against the only thing barring them from their precious daughter.

However, Queenie knew the truth - she could read it in their memories, their knowledge, their feelings. Her parents could not afford the treatment necessary to cure one person of Dragon Pox, let alone two. She thought that perhaps she could persuade the man treating them, but she took one look at the pitch black light in this man, who valued money over life, who gave expensive treatments to poor patients with no other alternative, who would not even operate on his own sister because she could not pay him, and realized that her efforts would be in vain.

Her parents passed away around Christmas break, after many months of trying to fight the illness. The doctor apologized to the girls, said he did everything he could. He started to swear at them after Queenie spit on his shoes.

The funeral was somber and lonesome. All of her parents’ friends gathered at the cemetery, apologizing to the girls and asking where they were to go. They had no reply to either remark.

Tina’s bright light dimmed a little that day, and only grew darker as they arrived at their new home. The workers told them it was a foster home designed for orphaned witches and wizards to continue their studies at Ilvermorny. However, the place turned out to be more of a nightmare.

The women who worked at the establishment were harsh and strict. They were a set of squibs, jealous of the powerful magic in the children they watched over, angry that life gifted them nothing while the tiniest, brattiest child had been gifted more. Magic was never permitted to be used at the home, and when it was, the women beat the practitioner badly.

Tina made Queenie swear on her life not to tell the women of her gift of Legilimens, ever. At the time, Queenie, only nine, thought Tina was being unfair, but listened to her, because Tina was her big sister, who knew a lot more than she did. Looking back, however, she realized that Tina was only protecting her baby sister from being beaten - protecting her bright, white light.

Growing up in such a place proved horrible. Living conditions were horrid, with wallpaper peeling, cracks forming in the ceiling, and water dripping down when it rained or snowed. There was never hot water, and sometimes no running water. There was only one meal a day, since no money was being put into the children - money from the state was being spent by the women on themselves. Having read this fact in their memories, Queenie soon realized why their caretakers owned such tar-like, icy lights.

The other children around her soon earned weary, grey lights as well. A boy, fourteen, had snuck into the kitchen to steal some food for his hungry little brother and sister, and earned a hard beating with an unused fireplace poker. His bright white light, earned from protecting and caring for his young siblings after their parents abandoned them, as well as taking care of the younger children because they reminded him of his own little family, grew darker and darker, due to his growing hatred of authority figures and human beings with no magic. He came to the conclusion that adults, especially No-Maj adults, took advantage of the weak and vulnerable, and liked to abuse them just because they could get away with it.

Tina herself soon grew grey under the stress of living there. She grew even darker after saying her goodbyes to Queenie, as Tina, aged twelve, needed to return to school. The older sister was afraid her dear sister, her only family left, would be abused without herself around to protect her. Queenie, only ten, understood this, and told her not to worry, a feeble attempt to revive her white light, and waved goodbye to her while she could still see the grey orb, slowly growing colder and darker.

Life droned on for Queenie - everything was very much the same, with greyness, viciousness, and anger around every corner. However, her joy was restored when, come Christmas break, upon seeing her older sister, viewed a bright white light emitting from her.

“Tina!” she exclaimed, embracing her sister. “You look so happy!”

“I am! I really am!” said Tina, holding Queenie tightly. “Ilvermorny - it’s nothing like this place. The adults are so kind there, and I have so many friends! I absolutely love it there!”

Queenie laughed, and released her. “Then why come back? You can stay!”

“Why would I leave you here by yourself? I felt so nervous the whole time I was there! I was so scared they would have hurt you! Of course I came back for you, dork!”

Queenie laughed again, as Tina flopped down onto the bed, throwing her suitcase onto the floor. She continued talking with a, “Honestly, Queenie! If you could go back with me, I’d be over the moon! It’s so much fun there!”

“Then put me in your suitcase, let’s go!”

“Wait… we can really--”

“I was joking, Teenie.”

“No, no, we have something there. You see, a kid named Ralphie in my Transfiguration class snuck his pet cat in, to make it seem like he was an animagi--”

All of Tina’s stories and tales of school made it seem like a magical place. Queenie felt excitement from the roots of her hair to the tips of her toes - after just another year of torment in this hell hole, she could travel somewhere safe and fun with her favorite person in the whole entire world. She just had to wait it out.

Soon enough, the time came for the new school year to start, and the Goldstein girls, overcome with giggles and excitement, ran, hand in hand, to the train station. They hopped on as soon as it was opened, and took the very first compartment they could. They waited for Tina’s friends, as she babbled on and on about all the adventures to be had, the food to be eaten, the people to meet, the teachers to avoid, all the unspoken rules, and whatever else popped into her head.

Eventually, all of Tina’s friends had arrived, and the train set off. There were two Thunderbird girls, a Pukwudgie girl, a Wampus boy and girl, and a Horned Serpent boy. The Horned Serpent student, with a dark light the color of soot, stood too close for comfort next to Tina. They were giggling and telling jokes, with playful pokes and pushes that had the other girls cooing. Queenie, however, was the only one who knew what he was really like.

She tried to warn her sister, who refused to believe her. Tina really liked the boy, and refused to believe he could hurt her. Queenie let it go, but kept a close eye on the two. She went to house Pukwudgie, spent her time being a model, studious student, and even participated in extracurricular activities, like Frog Choir and debate. However, she kept a close eye on the boy who threatened to hurt her sister, from first year, up to fourth, when what she felt coming happened.

Queenie was the first person Tina went to when he broke her heart.

The boy decided to cheat on her with another girl. Why, Queenie would never know - she refused to ever even look at the boy ever again. Instead, she decided to hold Tina tight to her, and tell her that everything would be fine, and make up fake happy things to keep her light burning bright.

From then on, Tina listened to Queenie when she said to stay away from people - it had proved, after all, to be a bad decision not to listen to a trained Legilimens. Most people the sisters encountered, students who wanted Tina’s advice or boys who were only interested in dating Queenie, were no good - either shining a frozen black light, or very close to it. Some people were greys or silvers, but soon proved themselves to be drawn to the cold. Even their old friends, who had been whites and silvers, dulled to ugly greys and blacks. This proved true, up until Tina and Queenie graduated and left Ilvermorny.

Queenie had drifted through most of life with a blindfold on. While others could only judge on appearances alone, Queenie could only see the truth - no chances, no risks. She learned so much about you with just a glance, and learned much, much more with a gentle touch. With this power, she saw what most people could not.

How evil the world really was.

That was her curse. Cursed to wander the earth until she died, looking into the lives of people, and seeing misery, suffering, hatred, and fury everywhere, over and over again, staring straight into cold black lights, straining her eyes to find anything that wasn’t pitch black, or grey, or cold, or lying right to her face, someone to believe in and trust--

But that was it. There was no one. Just the cold black of the world, and the warm silver of her dear Tina.

That is, until she met a No-Maj with a golden heart.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> jk it's three chapters now

The fateful day had been normal, with the sun receding out of view behind the tall buildings, turning a cloudy day into a clear, calm, and serene night. Queenie often returned home just after five, a couple hours before Tina, who often went out of her way to do extra jobs - not for money, but to build back up her reputation, to get back the job she loved more than anything else.

While in the midst of hanging the laundry in front of the fireplace to dry, the door banged open. Queenie glanced into the living room, and was so taken aback by what she saw, she couldn’t speak.

Two men were standing in the living room, staring at their pink laundry, but that wasn’t the odd part. Both men shined - absolutely, stunningly shined - a pure, bright white so blinding, Queenie had to blink to see clearly. It was a phenomenon most unusual and peculiar, so unique and spectacular, every little thing about it screamed strange, from their appearance to the thoughts running through their minds.

_Okay, great, my suitcase is still in tact… everything seems to be alright…_ the tall man, with a British accent, thought, shaking the case in his hand ever so gently. He thought something else, but Queenie couldn’t decipher it - accents were hard, after all.

The short man, with his back to Queenie, looked around the room. _Magic apartments… same as regular apartments. Amazing! Who could’ve guessed?_ That was adorable - where did this man think they lived, in floating castles or underground chasms? How cute!

Tina, sighing, locked the door. _What did I get myself into this time? Taking home these two stooges with me? What am I going to say to Queenie?_

Queenie decided to take mercy on her poor sister, who would more than likely explain what was going on later. She would’ve read what was happening in her sister’s thoughts, but knew that Tina really did not appreciate it when she invaded her privacy. Instead, Queenie leaned against the doorway and broke the silence with a calm, “Teenie! You brought men home.”

She could feel the eyeroll in Tina’s words as she said to her guests, “Gentlemen, this is my sister.”

The tall man seemed less than interested. In fact, he simply turned his head away as soon as he glanced at her. Tina was the same, and walked away from the door, towards the laundry in front of the fireplace.

The short man, however, who had been amazed their apartment appeared like one, stared at her. He had all the qualities of a good man; in his memories, Queenie saw his gentle hand pet the stray dog that followed him home after work, feeding the skinny animal some of his leftover lunch; she saw his shock and dismay at forgetting his crème brûlée in the oven, but his determination to fix his mistakes, refusing to give up; she saw his joyous, drunk laughter with a couple of coworkers after their shift, only staying around because they needed someone to be with at the end of the week. As more and more of his memories came to her mind, she could tell his bright light had been well earned - even through the darkest hours of the war he fought bravely in, even after disappointment and heartbreak after another, even after his fiancée left him because she believed him to have failed, he remained a good and true person, right to his very core.

He was very intriguing, indeed. Queenie couldn’t help but smile - how lucky was it that in all of New York, Tina invited over, forcibly dragged over, or simply ended up with the purest, sweetest man Queenie had ever read the mind of?

She instantly felt a sort of liking towards him, one that made her heart beat just a bit faster, and a baby pink simmer her cheeks. Along with his personality, he was also kind of cute. The man was round and short, like an adorable, cuddly teddy bear. His hair was black and messy, but he tried to keep it glued down with a gel. His eyes were a soft, solid deep brown, lined by short eyelashes and smile wrinkles that gave him an air of maturity. He dressed sharp, with a nice suit and tie, but had obviously put it on for a special occasion and wasn’t his normal attire, guessing by the lazily shaved stubble and unkempt mustache.

He was absolutely adorable, and if Queenie didn’t know any better, she would have said she was in love. But that would have been ridiculous - they had just met, after all. And even if she knew everything about him, he knew nothing about her.

Her thoughts were broken by Tina’s taunting. “Want to put some clothes on, Queenie?”

“Oh,” Queenie said, looking down at herself. She seemed to have forgotten she was still wearing her loungewear. “Sure.”

She turned around to the mannequin that wore her favorite comfy blue dress. She levitated it off, and slipped out of her robes, revealing only her pink slip. Putting on her dress and fastening the button, Queenie turned around, to see the man still staring at her. She focused on his mind, and heard.

_Wow. She is… so pretty! She’s absolutely stunning! I can’t beli-- wait, is she changing? I should look away now. Wow, I’m so creepy._

Queenie, who didn’t mind him, as his thoughts didn’t shift to something more adult and obscene in nature, wanted to get to know him. She looked around at the three once more before questioning, “So, who are they?”

Tina roughly pulled a pair of undergarments off the drying rack, and turned to make sure the tall man didn’t see. “That’s Mister Scamander, he’s committed a serious infraction of the International Statute of Secrecy.”

She huffed passed Queenie, who simply stared in shock at the person mentioned. The tall man, a Mister Scamander, who glowed a bright light…

“He’s a criminal?” questioned Queenie, who could hardly believe it.

“Uh huh,” replied Tina. She took off her work shoes, and threw them against the floor. “And that’s Mister Kowalski, he’s a No-Maj.”

Mister Kowalski gave an awkward smile and wave. _She’s looking right at me… she’s so pretty… her voice is so dreamy… should I tell her my name? ‘Hi, I-I’m Jacob’. No, that’s… lame._

Attempting to hide her laughter, Queenie turned to her sister. “A No-Maj?” Truly an interesting duo. She whispered excitedly, “Okay, what are you up to?”

“He’s sick,” Tina replied, in a tired kind of tone that suggested to leave her alone. “It’s a long story. Mister Scamander has lost something I’m going to help him find.”

Queenie didn’t hear the last part - Jacob had stumbled in place, and fell backwards onto their couch. She instantly rushed forward towards him.

“Oh, you need to sit down, honey!” she exclaimed, hearing the worry in her own voice. She listened carefully to his thoughts, trying to pick up on what was wrong, how to make him feel better.

_I feel so dizzy… am I dying? No, just hungry. I haven’t eaten anything since… I haven’t. I was so nervous for the interview, I couldn’t eat! Oh, that’s right, the interview! No loan for the bakery! What am I going to do now?_

“He hasn’t eaten anythin’ all day,” she recited, coming to a stop in front of him. “And… oh, that’s rough. He didn’t get the money he wanted for his bakery.” That seemed depressing. Deciding to focus on something more positive, Queenie asked him, “You bake, honey? I love to cook!”

“Uh…” stuttered Jacob. He gave another awkward smile, and sort of pointed at her.

_She just… read my mind?_

Queenie could’ve died - he was just so adorable! And he baked! How wholesome!

“You’re a Legilimens?” Mister Scamander suddenly questioned, seemingly interested in her now.

Queenie nodded. “Mm, yeah. But I always have trouble with your kind.” He seemed confused, so she elaborated, “Brits. It’s the accent.”

“Y-You kn-know… y-you know how to r-read minds?” stuttered Jacob.

_And I thought Newt was the oddest thing I experienced today… wait! Did she hear what I thought when I… shit! I’m s-sorry!_

“Oh, don’t worry, honey,” reassured Queenie, giggling. “Most guys think what you was thinkin’ when they first meet me.”

_Jacob looked around in amazement. That’s… wow! She’s just… wow!_

Queenie couldn’t help but grin. When most people learned of her gift, they ridiculed her, yelled at her, accused her of going through their private memories and made a mockery of her. However, only the bad had something to hide - a good person like him should have no worries. Jacob was shaping up to be a quality man. And the quickest way to a man’s heart?

“Now, you need food!” She turned and waltzed into the kitchen. In her mind, she heard, _It’s been… a really odd day._

She gave a laugh as she pulled out her wand, and started to get to work. She pulled some tomatoes out of the basket, while Tina reluctantly levitated the plates and napkins out of the cupboards and onto the table.

_Please don’t make a big deal out of this_, Tina thought, setting the silverware gracefully down with a flick of her wrist. _Something simple, no big party, please._

“Hm… pasta salad? Done in about five minutes with us workin’ on it, right?” Queenie asked, already pulling out a box of noodles from the pantry behind her.

Tina gave her a scowl. “Don’t read my mind.”

“Just want a wholesome meal,” she replied innocently. She chopped up some carrots in the air while seasoning the dish with salt, pepper, and a dash of lemon. It was Tina’s favorite dish, she knew, and it would be hard for her sister to stay angry when face to face with Italy’s greatest invention. Tina would relax, and allow Queenie to talk to the No-Maj in peace.

Tina was aware of her plans, and outright glared at her. _I should have pushed you in front of the train when I had the chance._

Queenie laughed, and flicked on the stove. “But you didn’t.”

She looked over her shoulder. She noticed Jacob glancing around at the floating ingredients and flying tableware. He seemed mesmerized by the whole ordeal, as if watching a magnificent dance on stage. She would’ve loved to keep watching him be amazed at the spectacle - however, a rather loud thought suddenly appeared in her mind.

_I have to find him before someone else does. If he gets into trouble, I won’t have a niffler anymore. I have to leave before--_

“Hey, Mister Scamander,” Queenie called out. Leaving right away? How rude! How crass! Tina brought him over to their apartment for… some reason, Queenie still was not quite sure on that. But leaving, in the middle of dinner, without his friend and/or colleague? Not polite at all! Besides, Tina obviously needed him for something important. She needed to help her sister out, and keep that man close by until Tina decided what to do with him.

She looked up at him, and grinned. “Do ya prefer pie or strudel?”

He gave a goofy-looking smile. _She caught me. Smart, that one. Like her sister._ “I really don’t have a preference.”

Tina glared at him. _Was he leaving? Seriously? I save your No-Maj’s ass, I bring you home, my sister feeds you--_

He looked down at his feet awkwardly. _Great, Tina’s glaring at me - I didn’t mean to make her mad. I just have to find him! I guess I have to stay now, at least for a while…_

Queenie smiled to herself. Tina and Mister Scamander were kind of cute together, weren’t they? Of course, if Tina was interested, her dear younger sister would obviously help them out - honestly, it seemed like both parties were much too awkward and preoccupied with their jobs to focus on a beautiful little journey called romance. Herself, however?

“You prefer strudel, huh, honey?” Queenie asked Jacob, glancing over her shoulder and giving him her best grin.

He laughed awkwardly. He was already tying a napkin around his neck.

“Strudel it is, then,” she said brightly, turning back to the counter. With a delicate flick of her wand, she set out to make the absolute perfect pastry to impress him - he was a baker, so obviously, he would know if she faltered or made a mistake.

She reached deep into his memories for his favorite flavor - apple and pecan - and waved her hand, instantly chopping up a red apple into thin slices. A pile of pecans floated out of their jar and met with the fruit in the air. Layers of a soft dough lifted off of the counter, and wrapped themselves around the filling. Going for the gold in impressiveness, Queenie braided some extra pieces of dough, and wrapped it around the circular pastry. She cooked it as it slowly made its descent onto the table, adding the finishing touches of apple flowers and powdered sugar right before setting itself in the center.

Jacob blinked in disbelief. _You can bake with magic? Unbelievable!_

Queenie dusted off her hands. _Now_, she thought, _that’s how you get a man!_

“Well, sit down, Mister Scamander,” Tina said, leaning against a chair. She glanced up at Newt, who was still standing by the doorway. She shook her head, exasperated, but with a tiny smile on her face. “We’re not going to poison you.”

Queenie looked over at him as well. He debated in his mind, Niffler or food… niffler or food… I mean, I haven’t eaten at all today either… and he’s small… he’ll be fine… no, that’s my child, I should-- oh, now Jacob is glaring at me.

Queenie glanced at Jacob, and almost laughed out loud from the sight. He was gesturing to a chair with his head, and cursing in his mind, _If you fuck this up for me, so help me--_

Short story shorter, Queenie now sat across from Jacob, with Newt and Tina on either side of them.

“I mean, job ain’t that glamorous,” she dawdled on, chin resting on her hand. “I spend most of my days making coffee, or jinxin’ the john. Tina’s the real career girl.”

_Queenie. Stop_, Tina warned. _You’re embarrassing me._

_How long until I can leave?_ Newt pondered, checking his watch.

_Government workers. Parents must be proud,_ Jacob thought.

“Nah, we’re orphans. Ma and Pa died to Dragon Pox when we was kids.”

_That’s so sad… I’m sorry. It must’ve been tough._

“Oh. You’re sweet,” she replied, touched by his kindness. “But me and Teenie got each other.”

_Do not call me Teenie in front of them, you bi--_

“Uh… could you stop readin’ my mind for a second?” Jacob said suddenly, nervously.

“Oh.” Had she done something wrong? Had she insulted him? Did he think she was creepy? Did he--

Jacob spluttered out something quickly, sensing he had accidentally hurt her. “B-But don’t get me wrong, I-I love it!”

“Really?” exclaimed Queenie, giggling excitedly. She had never heard that before! He loved it! Loved it!

“Yes! I-I just wanted to say, out loud, that this meal is absolutely fantastic!” His smile was so precious, his laughter like music to her ears. She couldn’t help but feel a bit of pride and joy deep in her chest. She had, after all, successfully won him over with food - you could never go wrong with a homecooked meal. “And, I mean, th-this is what I do, I’m a cook, and this is, like, the greatest meal I’ve ever had in my life!”

The two of them laughed together. Queenie rested her chin on her hand, leaning closer to him.

“Mister Kowalski, you’ve got me all flustered! I ain’t never talked to a No-Maj like this before.”

He mimicked her movements, and the two of them were closer than ever before. A warmth rushed through Queenie that made her want to scoot even closer to him, and alternatively, run as fast as possible in the other direction at the same time. Her heartbeat quickened just a bit faster, and she could slowly feel her cheeks turning red.

He smiled dreamily at her. Perhaps he felt the same as her? “Really? What are No-Majs normally like?”

She opened her mouth to respond, when she heard two loud trains of thought at the same exact time.

_Is he flirting with her?_ Newt thought, giving an odd glance to his companion.

Tina picked at her food with a fork nonchalantly, but Queenie could hear the angry tone in her mind. _Queenie! Stop flirting with the No-Maj, right now!_

“I am not flirtin’,” she muttered hurriedly, clasping her hands close to her chest and glancing down at her placemat. She felt her cheeks burn, and the familiar sinking sensation of embarrassment weighing down her shoulders and ruining her mood.

Newt looked up at Tina, just a hint of guilt for judging at the edges of his thoughts. _C’mon, _ _let the two have fun. It’s been a long day for everyone, I’m sure._

She glanced back at him, angrily yelling in her mind.  _ Don’t make me seem like the bad guy here! I’m just looking out for her!  _ Tina quickly defended herself with, “I’m just sayin’, don’t go gettin’ attached, he’s goin’ to have to be obliviated.” She turned to Jacob, who seemed a little dazed. “It’s nothin’ personal.”

The sinking feeling in Queenie’s chest seemed to only get worse. To see such a pure, bright light, only for it to be taken away was almost devastating. Someone like Jacob rarely, if ever, came into Queenie’s tiny world, and the thought of never seeing it again - it’s almost too much to bear. However, being the Queenie of Positivity, she held onto an over-idealized hope. Maybe Tina could spare him? After all, he’s traveled this far into the Wizarding World and hasn’t said anything to any other No-Maj, and he isn’t exactly scared or hateful towards their kind. Maybe they could spare him? Even if they more likely will wipe his memory the first chance they got… couldn’t Queenie just hope?  


Jacob seemingly ignored this unfortunate sentencing, and picked up a napkin, dabbing the sweat off of his brow. His eyes were glossy, and he swayed slightly in his seat.  _ I feel… real dizzy all of a sudden. _

“Oh, hey, are you okay, honey?” Queenie questioned, concerned.

Newt suddenly jumped to his feet. “I think Mister Kowalski could do with an early night.” He glanced over at Tina. “Besides, you and I must get up early in order to find my niffler.”

Queenie looked around at the guests. Could this night be any stranger? "What's a niffler?"

“Don’t ask,” Tina replied, glaring towards Mister Scamander. She made her way out of the kitchen, with tiny little obscenities sounding off in her mind that Queenie hesitated to repeat. “‘Kay, you guys can bunk in here. Not exactly five star, but just for the night. Until tomorrow, when we go out for your animal.”

“Thank you, Tina,” Newt said quickly, already helping Jacob to his feet. “We have to get Mister Kowalski to bed immediately-- thank you, again, really--”

And as Tina and Newt spoke, Tina already arranging beds in their cramped apartment, Queenie smiled.

Something good had happened to her, for the first time in a long time. Maybe this time, it would stay.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!! have a great day <3


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